Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Khafji Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Khafji

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,184 in Khafji.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $1,816 in Khafji.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,291 in Phuket versus $2,449 in Khafji.

Living in Phuket is roughly 7% more expensive than in Khafji, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Khafji 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.53 ฿152

$3.29 SAR 12.35

37.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.36 ฿1,558

$54.2 SAR 203

-14.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 ฿291

$5.21 SAR 19.53

66.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.96 SAR 3.60

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.14

Cappuccino

$3.09 ฿104

$3.01 SAR 11.29

2.66%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ฿22.79

$0.85 SAR 3.20

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.38

$0.37 SAR 1.39

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ฿128

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿73.2

$1.70 SAR 6.38

28.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿61.1

$1.46 SAR 5.48

24.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.2

$2.10 SAR 7.88

3.81%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿75.1

$2.19 SAR 8.23

2.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.93 ฿670

$6.23 SAR 23.36

219.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 ฿122

$7.17 SAR 26.92

-49.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿456

$9.87 SAR 37.02

37.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ฿111

$2.12 SAR 7.94

55.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.6

$1.54 SAR 5.77

9.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.4

$1.46 SAR 5.48

59.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.59 SAR 5.95

27.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.8

$1.22 SAR 4.58

31.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.2

$1.34 SAR 5.01

11.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿34.02

$1.35 SAR 5.08

-25.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.02

$0.55 SAR 2.07

-12.73%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.26 SAR 15.99

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 SAR 7.29

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿150

$8.06 SAR 30.23

-44.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.63 ฿626

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿60.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿94.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.69

$1.05 SAR 3.95

35.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿381

$39.42 SAR 148

-71.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ฿104

$3.40 SAR 12.75

-9.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.03

$1.85 SAR 6.94

-43.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.63 ฿458

$13.43 SAR 50.4

1.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.03

$0.63 SAR 2.38

107.94%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.3K ฿916.6K

$22.5K SAR 84.3K

21.43%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$21.2K SAR 79.7K

56.42%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$123 ฿4,138

$118 SAR 442

4.55%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.81 ฿464

$38.00 SAR 143

-63.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿622

$63.3 SAR 238

-70.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 ฿2,028

$86.2 SAR 323

-29.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿564

$35.90 SAR 135

-53.20%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿299

$15.50 SAR 58.2

-42.65%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$687 ฿23.1K

$134 SAR 502

413.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿522.5K

$4,072 SAR 15.3K

281.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 ฿1,936

$67.3 SAR 253

-14.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.66 ฿1,165

$67.7 SAR 254

-48.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,861

$93.2 SAR 350

23.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 ฿2,853

$84.0 SAR 315

1.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 ฿20.7K

$444 SAR 1,665

39.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 ฿14.9K

$382 SAR 1,432

16.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,047 ฿68.8K

$845 SAR 3,170

142.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 ฿50.6K

$633 SAR 2,374

138.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,568 ฿119.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,511 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.33

23.09%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Last update for Khafji: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $618 in Phuket and $444 in Khafji. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $54.0 in Khafji. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $185, with Khafji cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Phuket vs Khafji: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Khafji is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,891 in Phuket and $1,775 in Khafji to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $618 in Phuket versus $444 in Khafji. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $1,184 in Khafji – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Khafji runs roughly 248% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,184 in Khafji versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Khafji but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Khafji the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Khafji is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Khafji are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Khafji gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.